Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-09-07
A SURPRISE.

gar aiter lous run iroih l-NerP""i' III
ieaky ana snort hahded oid pris calie
the Plover, when our water gave out Z
the last quart We were hoisting out tn
last cask when some Of the tackle brpk
and il fell with a smash, and there W
were, thirty miles To the west OF tn
northernmost part Of Sumatra. witt
hardly enough water aboard to dampen
mans tongue.
am writing Of the days before Plim
soil and other British humanitarians en-
tered the ring tn fight for sailors rights
We had come out deeply loaded. one maj
short, and with such grub rs would breet
q mutiny in twenty four hours today.
| | was chief mate Of the Plover, ant
while could not openly sympathize with
the crew, nor openly condemn the owner,
for their avarice. l endeavored to alleviate
the situation by refusing to work the mel
except when work was a necessity. A
bullying mate could have made the Plovel
| q floating hell. When the accident hap
pened which deprived us OF our last gill
OF water, the captain was for standing on
until We could signal some vessel and
secure cask. but after we had talked the
matter over he concluded, especially a
the wind WAS fair, to run for Banjo
Island. This is the southernmost island
OF the Andaman group, and no matter
what the name on the maps and charts, il
has been known As Banjo Island to all
sailors for the last half century. At that
time We did not know whether II was in
habited or not, but had reason to believe
that we could procure fresh water there.
1t Was in the afternoon that We ran
short Of water. II WAS after 9o'clock
next morning when we came to anchor in
q small bay on the west side Of Banjo
Island, about half n mile from the shore.
We fired OF musket half dozen times.
got two casks overheard, and then waited
TO see If the natives would not come out
to us. The promise Of three or four ships
spikes would have induced score Of na-
tives To fill the casks. After an hours
waiting no one had appeared, and the cap
tain concluded that the island was not
inhabited A careful survey OF the beach
with the ships glass had located a spot
where a fresh water stream seemed to
empty into the sea, and that was the
point was TO make Tor. As the boat was
lowered away the captain said:
MT Jordon, I've heard tha1 the ma
yves IN these parts are u had lot While
-
may be lying IN ambush TO surprise you
lou had best take . couple OF muskets
along Tor use In case you are attacked,
and you'll throw some things into the
boat Tor barter, they are friendly and
want to trade
AS 1 WAS busy getting the boat down
ana fne around one of the casks l did
not notice what he put into the boat On
ha Ia Il OxRThAnlH1
however, and found half dozen iron
hoops, eight spikes and a lot OF trinkets.
There was no liked ammunition for the
muskets, but some of the men had put IN
tiE box in which there were bullets,
percussion caps and powder-at least
couple Of pounds af the last. 1t was
box brought from locker In the cabin.
l loaded the muskets on the way In, and
had hardly finished when We were at the
beach. As there was no SURF, We ran she
boat up on the sand to the right OF small
rivulet, which cut its way through the
beach to the sea The glass had not de-
ceived us. Here was fresh water, and
bic. l set the men at tsis latter task and
stepped ashore. The island was heavily
timbered, and the luxuriant growth Of
WINS anu SePSA' 49, WV"
70 the narrow strip OF sand. ihere were
parrots ana other plrds IN plenty, ana,
carrying musket on my shoulder, l
walked along the narrow oeach ior about
huhdred yarus' hoping 10 gel sho' al
game OF some sort. AFTER gong aoout
this distance l found an opening by which
l could enter the forest. 1t seemed TO be
IA thsrs h0.n s;rrs Tho, !. h,d Lately
80 ,r.ra,aS shanIJ har. hasi,a,.5 20
.dran.a tn. ,u,o s,i,ors wers l.nsb;ng
- - as ,har fliI,d Oh. c.sts ,ha
,roa5S scbo;n, rho notes ~ h;nSs and
III - =, ,S. oan.I,,s;,, ,h.t ,ho ;sI.nJ
,ras un;nb. b.h;,sd nv wan Jb.d entered
tho go, ,,arb.ns aOO f.a+ .nd had INV
arss on ,ha uatch .bs.d When falt q
orssb ara-r,bins ,nrnad d.rk and the
80, ,h;nr rn.v, r on.red nv .ves 70
a,,d hoW ao,on no,;,es ahon, m. while
TO- iyinr on tho r,round hound hand
.nd foo; b,d haen c,rr;..l some dis
t.nca While insensihle for WAS now in a
LII - -